Friday, March 28, 2014

This mini Dutch Iris was taken last year on March 17. The leaves have not even peeked out of the ground this year. It is 65 degrees today so I hope it will speed the flowers along.

I didn't go to Zumba. My arm was aching from the weights last time. I should have known better than to use the weights. They were only 1 pound but using weights even that light give me tendinitis. It bothered me at exercise class yesterday and I didn't do anything with the arm.

I will be off to dress rehearsal tonight for the Choral Society. We have out concerts starting this Sunday.

I went to exercise class this morning and then home. I went to the dermatologist this afternoon. he had taken a biopsy of something on my leg. I thought I had a mosquito bite last June and it would keep flaring up itching. He had put a stitch in it and I had to get it removed and have him look at it. It turned out to be a wart and scar from me scratching it.

I didn't go to choir practice. We are not singing Sunday so I decided to skip. I was really tired so after I took Sparky out I decided to go watch Doc Martin in my bed.

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

I went to Bible Study. It was windy and cold. The wind has been so strong that it blew apart one of my pinwheels. One was found outback down the embankment of the stream. I put them in the trunk of the car until the wind dies down.

I went to the Lenten Service at the Presbyterian Church. They had a variety of soups and bread/rolls for the meal. Our Pastor gave the message and our choir sang the special. Pastor Mark likes our choir to sing when it's his turn for the message. It is a combined service with all the churches in Chesapeake City taking turns. I had to chuckle when Pastor Rich led the Lord's Prayer. Presbyterians say, debts and debtors while most other denominations say trespasses and trespass. I was raised in the Presbyterian Church so I was prepared. Everyone else was caught off guard. I learned both ways as in school, we said trespasses.

I took Sparky out when I got home and watched Burn Notice. They were having a marathon which I didn't realize and they story was continuous and went well into the night and possibly early morning. I gave up and went to bed.

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Tuesday, March 26, 2014

I went to exercise class this morning and then to JoJo's. Liz and Betty got breakfast and I got a sticky bun. I had already had my breakfast at home. It started flurrying when we came out of exercise class and flurried all day. I had my dinner and took Sparky out and when I got back, the snow started sticking on the deck. I saw that Joan had called so I called her back. We felt that the roads could be bad when we got out at 9pm so decided not to go. I have heard horror stories about cars sliding sideways down the bridge when it go icy. It's only 2 lanes wide and no shoulder so one could slide into on coming traffic. No Thanks!

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Monday, March 24, 2014

I went to the church this morning to pay some bills. Brigitte, a new lady on our finance committee, came to help me with the filing and some computer work. I was grateful for the help. Everything went smoothly. I walked Sparky when I got home and made some chicken soup for lunch and dinner for the next couple days. It's supposed to snow tomorrow so the soup will be good.

I was the lay reader at church this morning. I wore my yellow wool blazer with a yellow and white striped blouse with a gray wool skirt. I wore my yellow straw hat. I felt like brightening up the winter dulldrums. I practiced with the praise band and then went to the second service. My neighbor, walked Sparky when she got home from church. I stayed to practice Easter songs with the praise band. I am feeling discouraged about singing with the band. They are all altos, tenors and bass and they don't seem to like my soprano voice. When there are high notes, I am asked to sing an octive lower which is hard for me to do. I find it hard to sing the songs as they do not have piano notes but guitar chords which I have no clue. They are not written as notes but in letters such as C or E. Sometimes, I sneak a few high notes in when I can.

I gave Sparky a hair cut this afternoon. He was getting scragily looking. He loves to go outside so I keep his fur long in the winter. It is still cold out so I have to put on his sweater or coat.

I went to the grocery store this morning and then did some yard work. The mower repair man's wife brought my mower back. It had been in the shop since January. I guess he was busy working on snow blowers and such. I got busy mulching up the big piles of leaves I had raked up in December. The leaves were packed down and wet underneath so I'll have to go over them again. I swept up the loose stones that the snowplow scraped up and brushed them in front of my driveway. It was getting to be a mud hole.

Because of the cold weather, I only have crocuses and snowdrops in bloom. One of my neighbors has mini Dutch ireses bloom but she has a southern exposure. My friend, Joan, has her witch hazel blooming. The witch hazels cause a lot of allergy problems for me. They are early bloomers sometimes blooming in February. We used to have three of them outside our office windows. One time I walked out of the office and wondered what that sweet flowery fragrance was. I was sneezing my head off. I followed the scent to what looked like a dead bush and found it was the witch hazels.

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Remembering my grandmother on the 125th anniversary of her birthday. I remember walking to the train station when I was a kid. We would take to train to Grandmom's to celebrate her birthday. Sometimes, the magnolias would be blooming but not this year. I did see my friend's forsythia starting to bloom.

I went to exercise class this morning. I felt tired. I always do when the time changes. From there, I went to the Acme Super Market. They had chicken on sale for $.99/lb. I got two packs to bake and freeze. I next went to the pet store to get Sparky some food and dental bones.

I stopped at my friend, Joan's greenhouse, to get some hardy primroses. Most looked past their prime but I did find two purple ones that looked nice. It's hard for the greenhouse to know when the right time will be for the plants. It has been too cold to plant them outside. I set them out on the ground but will have to keep a watch on the forecast in case I have to bring them in.

What a miserable rainy day. I took the dog out twice and we both got soaking wet. My raincoat was soaked through. I also got soaked when I went to the Lenten Service at St. Roses. They had a nice dinner of soup and rolls. There were several kinds of soup. It was a nice Vesper Service. The Ukrainian Priest was the guest speaker for the homily. Each week it is held at a different church with a pastor from a different church as guest speaker.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

I went to exercise class this morning. It is nice and sunny but the sun is blinding on the snow. It is melting quickly. I spent a couple hours in the church office doing bills and researching one bill that had a duplicate charge on it. That took an hour. I just did the computer bills. I'll have to do some checks tomorrow. I also have to balance the checkbook. That's always a trip.

I have choral practice tonight and another one on Friday to make up for the snow day we had in January. It is almost concert time. I don't feel like I am ready. Our 1st concert is on the 30th and one on 4/1 and the last one on 4/6. we have been invited to sing with the Newark, DE Orchestra in May. So there will be more rehearsals.

1 to 3 inches my foot. That was the forecast. There is 6 inches of snow on my deck and on my car. I stayed in all day except for taking out Sparky. He loves the snow but he get snowballs tangled in his fur. I was going to watch a DVD I got from the library but it was all garbled. I tried cleaning it but to no avail. The one I watched last night was fine. So many at the library are like that and it wasn't even a kid's movie. I guess they all get a lot of abuse. I did some wash and I had the leftover ham and cabbage I got from the church.

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Sunday, March 16, 2014

I went to church early this morning. I wanted to make a copy of one of the songs for the second service and had some things I wanted to do. Choir practice was at 8:30 and then the service at 9am. I made sure my helpers would take care of the offering and then went to Praise Band practice. My back was bothering me so I ran out as soon as the service was over.

I have two things to do this afternoon and don't feel like doing either. I have to take my nephew, Joey, his birthday present and then dinner with my niece's mother-in-law for her birthday.

I bent over to pick up my socks and my back went out. I took my pie to the church and called the Chiropractor and headed for his office. When I got back, I walked Sparky and went to the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Chesapeake City. Above is the Church's float with some of the youth on it. It was lead by a bagpiper, followed by floats, three high school bands, a string band, Someone dressed as St. Patrick and someone dressed as Darth Vador. Someone was dressed as a goose, several people dressed their dogs in green, and of course, the politians, and fire engines. There was a big turn out for the parade. The streets were crowded with people dressed in green. The Pub Crawl may have had something to do with the big turn out.

People were throwing candy and beads from their vehicles. Much of the candy was landing on my side of the road so I threw some across the street to where my neighbor children were standing.

After the parade, I went to the church to get my ham and cabbage dinner. I had my neighbor, Marlene with me so I just picked up my dinner and took it home.

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Friday Flower Bloggin"

Crocuces and snowdrops are the only things blooming so far and they are sparse. Something must be polenating in the area because the spring hayfever is starting. It starts when the crocuses bloom. It's most like witch hazel even tho I haven't seen any my nose knows it's here.

I went to my Zumba lesson this morning and I baked a pie in the afternoon. The church is having a Ham and Cabbage Dinner tomorrow and I was asked to bring a dessert. I haven't made anything since Ted's passing. Being alone, I would have to eat the whole thing. I guess I could eat a whole pie in a couple days. I baked an apple pie that Marie Callender made. They are quite good. It had a package of caramel sauce to drip over it. I guess I put it on too thick as the whole top is covered with it. My brother bakes them so I figured I could.

I did a few things around the yard. I bought some bright yellow pinwheels and put them at the edge of my flowerbed hoping the cars would see them and not park or drive over it.

I dug up some snowdrops that were growing in the grass outside of one of the flowerbeds. I have wanted to do that for a couple years. I wanted to wait until fall but by then, they either disappeared or were run over by the mower. I dug up large clumps of dirt with them so I hope they will be OK.

I scraped up some stones the snowplow had scraped up and put them in front of my driveway. I'll have to buy some more and put them along there and around the perimeter of the house.

Friday, March 14, 2014

Thursday, March 13, 2014

I went to exercise class this morning. I was a cold and windy day. Last night, it sounded like someone was banging on my door. I didn't see anyone so I went out to look around. I moved my trash cans as the wind was blowing them around and I didn't want them to bang into my car. I kept hearing the banging sound and didn't see anything. I followed the sound to my neighbors house and then looked up. The aluminum covering the fascia was blowing around. I saw her light on so sent a text but the thing banged around all night. Her son nailed it today but it had ripped.

It was 40 degrees but the wind made it feel like it was colder than when it was zero degrees.

I went to the Dermatologist for my check up and had him look at an insect bite that I got last June and still would flair up itching. He did a biopsy on it. I thought the wind was going to blow me off the bridge. I went to the Acme and got my corned beef and Irish Soda Bread. Their cabbage was expensive so I will go to Redner's tomorrow and get it there.

I went to Choir practice and the wind was still blowing. It has been blowing for 24 hours. A big limb came down off the silver maple next to my house. I hate silver maples. They are very weak. The management started taking it down 2 years ago but never finished. They left their ladder laying in my back yard. It's a wonder no one has stolen it. They told me to put it under my house. I said No. I don't want it tearing up my ground cover. I moved it out of site from the road but if it gets stolen, Oh well!

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

I washed a load of towels this morning and got my shower. It's a good thing I got it early as when I got home from Bible Study, the water was turned off. My next door neighbor had a leak. A hose is coming out from under her house and running into my yard making it a mud hole. There is nowhere else for the water to run. She only has three feet of the ground and the rest is mine. Of course, it slopes my way. It follows my walking path and then into the backyard and to the little stream. My house will be worked on next as it has the same kind of fittings that my neighbor has so they're going to replace mine before they start leaking.

I went to church at 8:30, practiced with the choir, service at 9, practiced with the praise band, service at 11 and home again. Took Sparky for a walk and noticed lots of shredded chips under my shed door. I opened it up and found my floor and door had been chewed on leaving a gap. A second squirrel must have been trapped inside and chewed it's way out. Nasty things. The babies were gone out of the box. I hope the mother moved them and they didn't fall victim to a cat or other animal.

I went to dinner at the Olive Garden with my niece and her family. Her mother-in-law was visiting so we all went together.

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Saturday, March 8, 2014

There here! Snowdrops have opened and crocuses are blooming. Yippee! Spring is here.

I had to evict a varmint today. I opened the shed door and saw a large box had fallen down and half the side was chewed out of it. Leaves were scattered around and I saw something that was probably a squirrel run out the back window. It was dark and about that size. Some prior owner cut a hole for a window and never put the window in. A piece of plywood was covering the hole but the critter pushed one end open and made a nest in a box. It was filled with leaves and had two babies in it when I dumped it out on the ground. I put them back in the box with a shovel and put the box behind the shed. Hopefully, the mother will move them to a safer place.

These crocuses were taken last year. The leaves are hardly out of the ground this year. The spot where these were taken is still snow covered. Maybe there are blooms under the snow.

I went to Zumba this morning and set up the tables and chairs in the hall for a funeral in the afternoon. One of the ladies stood there watching me struggle with the banquet tables. She said she was having nothing to do with setting up the tables and chairs because someone told her that she didn't want anyone sitting. I thought good grief. The funeral was for a lady who was 96 years old. Her friends are elderly and I didn't want then trying to balance a plate, cup and possibly a cane to eat the food. I don't know what people were thinking. The Zumba leader helped me with the tables. I was not a happy camper.

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

I did a couple loads of wash this morning and made a pot roast in the crock pot. I had taken the beef out of the freezer on Monday but didn't it was too frozen to put in the crockpot. I didn't have time to make it yesterday so I made it today. I went to Bible Study and then back home. I put my silk pansies in the vase my sister-in-law gave me and took out the Christmas flowers. I sorted my sewing by the color of thread I will need to get it ready to stitch up with my machine.

At 6:10, I left for the Ash Wednesday-Lenten service at the AME church that is way out in the horse farm area. The Ecumenical Assoc. has Lenten services at a different church each week. Soup, bread, and dessert is served before the dinner.

I invited my neighbor, Marlene, to come but she wasn't feeling well so I went by myself. Sometimes I feel so lonely since Ted's been gone. Even though I have my friends at church I don't seem to have a close friend nearby. There do not seem to be many widows at church and my friends have their families. My niece works long hours and had a two years old she wants to spend time with. Then there is the winter doldrums. Next week starts daylight time I hope some warm weather comes with it.

I didn't go to exercise class because I had to clean off my car. I had brushed off the snow yesterday but there is a layer of ice under it. I started it up, turned up the heat and defrosters. I sprayed some de-icer on the windows and let it do its job before scraping.

I went to the bank to get the receipts and then to the church to enter them and cut a couple checks. I did some more shoveling when I got home to clear off the rest of the driveway. It melts during the day and then freezes at night making it slippery when I take Sparky out.

At 5pm, I went to St Roses Church for the Pancake dinner and Marty Graus. I wore my beads and was given 3 more. The pancakes and sausage were good and I enjoy the King cake.

Monday, March 3, 2014

March 3, 2014

Today was Ted's birthday. I miss him more than ever. My life has been empty without him.

We are having a major snowstorm this morning. The rain changed to snow sometime before 2am. I woke up and had a hard time going back to sleep so looked out the window to see the snow. It was just a dusting then. When I did fall back to sleep, I had a nightmare. I got up and looked out' there was a couple inches of snow. I looked out before sitting down at this computer and there was nearly 5 inches in my rain gauge and it looked like 4 1/2 on the picnic table. It looks like it may have stopped. I hope so.

I went to church early to practice with the choir. After the service, I made sure my helpers were OK with counting and recording the offering. There were some special donations so I wanted to make sure they knew how to record them. They are doing a good job. I went to practice with the praise band and left right afterward.

My family was coming to Chesapeake City for a birthday dinner at Schaefers Restaurant on the north side of the canal. We were celebrating my brother, Don's birthday, Feb 25th, and my sister-in-law, Sylvia's birthday - Mar 2nd We used to celebrate Ted's birthday along with them on Mar 3rd.

I walked Sparky and my brother, Don came to my house to pick me up and drive over the bridge. My nieces and their families all arrived the same time we did. We had a nice dinner and I got the crab cake dinner. When the bill came, it was put down in the middle of the table which was next to me. I looked to see how much I owed on the bill and saw crab cake dinner---$54.00. My eyes bugged out and then I saw that was for a quantity of 3 crab cake dinners.

I over ate. My nephew and his family were ordering desert so the rest of us ordered. I asked for A scoop of ice cream. They brought out a bowl of 3 large scoops with whipped cream and strawberries. I can't believe I ate the whole thing. I was so uncomfortable, I left without getting my bowl from Sylvia. I don't know what bowl it was. I must have left it there the last time I went for dinner but I don't remember when it was. I hope she gave it to Cheryl

Here it is March. It seemed a long time coming. I got up early and went to Brandywine, DE to get my sewing machine. I had taken it there for repair. I made some stops along the way. I went to Home Depot to return my defective thermostat and then to Dollar Tree to get a few things. The main thing I wanted to get was dog waste bags. They sell packages of 60 or 80 for a dollar. Just my luck, they didn't have any. Bummer. I am running out of the plastic bags from the supermarket. I got a box of zip-lock bags until I get to another Dollar Store. I hope they still carry them.

The next stop was Hayes Sewing Shop. They have all kinds of material and notions as well as doing repairs.

From there, I went to the Concord Mall to Boscov's. I got a king size mattress pad that was on sale. I also picked up a plastic cutting board as one of mine fell apart when I took it out of the dishwasher. I had it for about 20 years so I guess I got my monies worth. I like the plastic ones as they can be put in the dishwasher. Next stop was the bookstore. I saw a store the had Borders and I thought they had gone out of Business. I pulled up and wondered why there were so many empty parking places. I notices the store had a sale sign on it. OH! I drove around the other side of the mall and saw Barnes and Noble. I went in there to find a book on Lighthouses for my brother but didn't find any. I hit the road for home where Sparky was waiting to go out for his walk.